Feb 3/06 - Arnprior/NcNab Tween B Girls Victorious At Kingston 27^th Annual Ringette Tournament

By Bruce Graham

Game 1

In their first game at the Kingston Ringette tournament Arnprior/NcNab Devils met long time league rival Upper Ottawa Valley. Arnprior/McNab came out strong when Stephanie Baker set up Shelby-Lyn Miller who scored to put Arnprior up 1 – 0. Then Kelsey Budarick scored 2 in a row, the first from high in the slot on a pass from Stephanie Baker and the second unassisted on a wrap around from behind the net. Arnprior was up 3 – 0 and looking strong.

The rest of the game was not to be so easy. Between Arnprior’s penalties and a surge in the UOV offence UOV scored 4 goals in a row to go up 4- 3.

With Arnprior back at full strength and with just less than 2 minutes left the Arnprior Coach pulled the goalie to gain an extra attacker. The strategy paid off when Lindsey Graham-McCourt intercepted a cross-ice pass and put a wrist shot over the outstretched left pad of the UOV goaltender. Arnprior tied the game at 4 and had goaltender Kenzie Martin to thank for keeping them in the game when they seemed to lapse defensively.

Game 2

Game 2 Arnprior/McNab was facing a team from Montreal (BKRA).

Things started badly as BKRA scored 14 seconds into the game to take a 1 – 0 lead

Arnprior then came on strong peppering the Montreal goaltender who stood strong until halfway through the first period when Stephanie Baker put a fast cross ice pass onto the stick of Lindsey Graham-McCourt who made no mistake picking the top left corner to even the game at 1.

Arnprior now had momentum and 33 seconds later Megan Bowen scored low on the stick side with assists going to Kayla Kucharik and Kaitlyn Buske.

Barely 2 minutes later it was Megan Bowen again scoring to finish a flawless passing play with Kayla Kucharik and Lindsey Graham-McCourt setting her up.

With 8 minutes left in the final period Lindsey Graham-McCourt stole the ring and put a one timer top shelf from the hash marks to put Arnprior/McNab up 4 –1.

BKRA answered with one goal but it was too little too late and Arnprior/McNab won the match 4 – 2.   

Game 3

Arnprior/McNab was pitted against the Sunderland Stingers for their 3^rd game. This was a rough match where Arnprior/McNab received a very high majority of the penalties.

Once again Arnprior was down by a goal under a minute into the game. Then Lindsey Graham-McCourt took a double minor for charging and body contact. Arnprior/McNab killed both penalties but the call against Graham-McCourt seemed to set the tone for the game. Arnprior thereafter was rarely without a girl in the penalty box.

With Megan Bowen in the penalty box for body contact, Sunderland went up by 2 and before long Sunderland scored again to go up 3 – 0.

Just before being called for another body contact penalty Megan Bowen took a pass from Sam Chambers and went low stick side to put Arnprior/McNab back in the game. Then upon getting out of the penalty box Bowen took a Dana Hudson pass and scored low stick side again.

With Sunderland getting the next goal Arnprior/McNab was down by 2 again

With the score 4 – 2, Arnprior dug deep and Kelsey Budarick took a long pass from Sam Chambers and put a high shot in the corner of the net to bring Arnprior/McNab within a goal.

Barely 2 minutes later with 3 minutes left on the clock Sam Chambers put a pass over the blue line to Lindsey Graham-McCourt and Lindsey made no mistake as she whipped a shot past the Stinger goalie to end the scoring at 4 apiece.

Game 4

The round robin was finished and seemed to come full circle back to the Valley girls. Upper Ottawa Valley had finished first and Arnprior/McNab finished second. This put the 2 teams who opened the tournament in the final game of the tournament.

Seemingly tired of being down by a goal under a minute into the last 2games the Arnprior/McNab coach had his girl’s pumped and ready to play.

18 seconds into the game Megan Bowen sent a long pass right onto the stick of Lindsey Graham-McCourt who faked to put UOV’s goaltender down and then went top shelf on the glove hand side to put Arnprior/McNab up 1 – 0.

Arnprior/McNab then went up 2 zip when Kelsey Budarick converted an Amanda Milne pass when Milne orchestrated a beautiful break out play after stealing the ring at Arnprior’s blue line.

Arnprior/McNab’s goaltender had been playing a very good game then threw the ring to defence Kaitlyn Buske who in turn sent the ring out to defence partner Erin Kippen, this pass gave both girls assists on the winning goal scored by Kelsey Budarick.

Arnprior/McNab was not to finish the game unscathed as at the 10 minute and 4-minute marks of the last period UOV finally solved Arnprior/McNab’s goaltender Kenzie Martin.

With the score 3 – 2 Arnprior/McNab, the Arnprior/McNab girls played extremely smart. Between Amanda Milne, Lindsey Graham and Kaitlyn Buske the Devils frustrated UOV never letting them have the ring for the final 2 minutes.

CONGRATULATIONS to the whole Arnprior/McNab Devil Ringette club for showing excellent team spirit and sportsmanship during their excellent effort to win the Kingston Ringette tournament.